The Washington critic., 1887-08-01
THAT "MEMoRANDUM" AGAIN.

contract with the Hotchkiss Ordnance
Company, thus assuring the establish
ment in the United States OF branch
Of the Hotchkiss mandatory, has
reached wise conclusion, 1t Is to he
hoped, and done good thing for the
navy and the country.
THE CWrIC is still nj something of q
loss, however, to understand the exact
purport of the Memorandum" sent
out by the Department relative to the
extraordinary achievements of Mr..
Hotchkiss as IN Inventor and the eN.
tensive adoption of his guns by various
foreign powers. unless II were deemed
advisable In ciIrciing negotiations Of
such Importance 10 make the general
public as well acquainted MS possible
with the exploits aud anteccdents Of
the party Of the second part.
The subject matter of the Memoran-
dun is of interest. 1t Is well written
and Instructive, but one twentieth
part as much--in fact, the mere word
of the Navy Department-would have
answered quite rs well, If the object
in view had simply been to assure the
people that the IIotchkiss Company is
reputable and responsible.
What seems queer about It Is that n
private corporation should succeed in
getting such an elaborate advertise.
ment and Endorsement through the
General Government or any of Its de-
partments. Or. was that part OF the
contract?
Is It not evident that the stockholders
of the American Company are, more
than anybody else, interested in this
publication?
Would not the document have been
still better reading II the names Of the
various stockholders had accom-.
panied 1t?
Are books of subscription open any.
where in this country to the stock of
the American branch of the company
that was organized In March last, with
capital of $5,500,00O?
Is the ground floor fully occupied
and by whom?
Does not the contract which Socre
tary Whitney has entered into for the
adoption Of the Hotchkiss system of
firearms so commit the Government as
to bar out all other competition and set
up the Hotchklss Company us a
monopoly under the direct protection
OF the Government
Has the Navy Department enter
tanned bids for the class of work pro-
posed, and was the contract awarded in
due form to the llotchkiss Company
These queries are propounded in nc
spirit of fault finding or impertinence,
but In an honest desire for information.
We believe that we are warranted IN
asking the questions by the peculiar, II
not unprecedented circumstances oil
the case.
Ii is not to be believed that the Navy
Department Is advlsedly or directly
booming private corporation through
its official envelopes yet 1t will occur
to disinterested outsider that by the
indirect aid of the Navy Department {
private corporation is being pretty ex
tensively doomed.
1t is due to the Secretary of the
Navy TO state that the Memorandum, y
which is marked confidential and no
to be used before Saturday morning, u
is signed neither by himself nor by any
official of his Department, nor In fact
by anybody else. 1t Is understood tc
be official from the fact that It comes
free of postage under the Government
frank.
EX. CONGRESSMAN BARBOUR of Vir.
ginia Is unable to see how the Demo
cratic party Of that State can afford tc
change the position 1t took in 1888 In
favor of the Iiiddleberger settlement oi
the debt. lie hints, however, at the
possible Intervention Of the Fedora
Government to assist the Old Dominion
out of its financial troubles, and says
upon this point;
While Congress probably cannot be induced
to commit the Federal Government to pay
directly the obligations Of q State, II Is be-
leved that c proposition TO appropriate an
amount Of the public Lands equivalent in area
10 the territory which was taken from Vlr
ginia in the dlsmembermout Of the State nigh
be passed. AZ least strong equities could be
urged in It's behalf and a good case prcsente
10 the National Legislature II this can b
accomplished u Land fund would be realize.
which would fully pay our state debt ant
probably leave Us u surT lu' for cducutiona
purposes.
IIow's this The st, Paul G,0b
says:
The President deserves the gratitude an
admiration Of the country for adherlu; 10 h.
determination 10 appoint Mrs. liancoCS post
master al Washington, The politicians hav
clnn.ored for this oidce on the ground that I
was part Of the legitimate spoils of a pOlitl
cal victory. The President has manfuliy re
sisted the clamcr, and will pay most grace